A Mantis Carol [Paperback]

Laurens van der Post (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1983 | ISBN-10: 0933280211 | ISBN-13: 978-0933280212

Presented together now for the first time, Laurens van der Post's collected writings will reveal as never before the fullness of his perceptive, wise and remarkably consistent vision. In all of them his inspiration has been that of an adventurous pioneer exploring not just the outward aspects of a turbulent and troubled world but, at a deeper level, the patterns and paradoxes of human life, the myths and dreams of the human mind, the values and cultures of different peoples, the elusive springs of our own people.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Laurens van der Post was born in South Africa in 1906, the thirteenth of fifteen children in a family of Dutch and French Huguenot origins. He grew up in the heart of Bushman country, a thousand miles from the sea, before going on a long voyage to Japan that was a to prove a formative experience and vital in later life. He settled in England in the 1930s, writing and farming until the outbreak of the war, when he joined the British army and served with distinction in the Western Desert, Abyssinia, Burma and the Far East. Taken prisoner by the Japanese, he was held in captivity for three years before returning to active service as a member of Lord Mountbatten's staff in Indonesia and, later, as military attache to the British minister in Java. Since 1949 he has taken part in many official expeditions and missions to Africa, and his journey in search of the Bushmen in 1957 formed the basis of his famous documentary film, 'The Lost World of the Kalahari'. Other television films he has made include 'A Region of Shadow', 'All Africa Within Us'. And a three-part series on the life and work of Carl Gustav Jung, whom he met after the war and grew to know as a close personal friend. The highly acclaimed film 'Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence', released in 1983, was based on his book The Seed and the Sower. Laurens van der Post was awarded the C.B.E for services in the field, and in 1980 he was knighted. With his wife, Ingaret Giffard, Sir Laurens divides his time in England between his home in Chelsea and a cottage in Suffolk. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 166 pages
• Publisher: Island Press (September 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0933280211
• ISBN-13: 978-0933280212
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #758,718 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wise, inspiring, meaningful..., March 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Mantis Carol (Paperback)

A beautiful account of a period in Van Der Post's life which tries to demonstrate the imponderable workings of love, of living myth and the weaving together of diverse lives into a single, greater synthesis. A profound, wordy and at times, utterly brilliant work.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique book. A true story that reads like science fiction., December 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: A Mantis Carol (Paperback)

I loved this book. It is very short and can be read in a sitting, but it is really profound. The clash of African and American cultures is depicted with great tenderness, with no judgment about which is better. The courage of the bushman is great.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intriguing Tale, May 21, 1998

By 

Richard Zimler (Portugal) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Mantis Carol (Paperback)

A very intriguing story about the importance of myth in everyday life. At times, the writing is brilliant, poetic and powerful. At other times, it's more than a bit confusing. But it's a book that's definitely worth reading.